Buttonhole attachment for sewing-machines.



un. 678,397. Patented July ls, lam. w.'H.`HARGnAvEs, J. s. ,Haus a J. ROBERTS. BUTTUNHULE ATTACHMENT FUR SEWING MACHINES.'

(Application led Feb. 16, 190 0.)

(N0 Model.)

ad Fa/.1.

THEIR AT TORNEY Jaap b Roberta UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'VILLIAM H. `HARGrRAVES AND JOHN SIDNEY HEILIG, OF ALLENTOWN, AND

JACOB ROBERTS, .OFMCATAS'AUQUA, PENNSYLVANIA. Y

lBurrow-loin; ATTACHMENT FOR sEw-lNc-MAcl-HNES.

sPncrrrcATioN forming pare of Letters Patent No. 678,397, dated Julyle, 1901.

' Application filed FehruaryvllOO. Serial No. 5,405. (No model.)

To all whom/1 it may concern: y

GRAvEs and JOHN SIDNEY HEIL'Ie, of Allentown, and JACOB ROBERTS, of Catasauqna, Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Buttonhole Attachments for Sewing-Machines, of which' the following is a speciiication.

Our invention relates to certain improvements in a sewing-machine attachment adapted for sewing buttonholes and capable also of use for tacking pockets, crotches, or other seams, and relates especially to improvements upon the attachments described in United- 549,538 and States Letters Patent Nos. 549,539, dated November 12, 1895.r

The improvements will be hereinafter fully described, and the novel features thereof set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of our specication, Figure 1 is a plan view of the attachment; Fig. 2, a 'side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the plane of the line 44 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 isaside view of a pitman and segmental pinion form-l ing a part of the attachment. Fig. 6 is a plan view of a ring forming part of the clutch device.- Fig. 7 is a plan View of a lever forming part of the clutch device, and Fig. 8 is a view of a cam for imparting vibratory movement to the cloth-clamp plate.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in the several views.

The frame or casing of the attachment comprises the bed aand the body portions d and a2, which parts are made integral with or permanently secured to the bed portion a. The forward end of the casing a' is provided with a pair of jaws a3, one of which is fitted with a jam-screw a4 for clamping the attachment to the presser-foot bar of the sewing-machine. In the frame portion a is journaled a shaft b, one end of which projects beyond the casing and has fixed thereto a ratchet-wheel b.

A lever b2 is fulcrumed on the said shaft be-v tween the casing a and the ratchet-wheel b and has -a Vpawl h3, held by a spring b4 in engagement with said ratchet-wheel. A flatheaded screw b5 has engagement with the lever b2, and between the screw-head and said A `levertis awasher-b, in which there is a groove Be it known that we, WILLIAM Il. HAR-` to' receive one end of the spring b4. The 4other end. of the spring b4 rests in the groove (shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2)'in the top of the pawl b3. This arrangement obviates the drillingV of a'r hole in the pawl, ywhich weakens it, and the spring can. be readily adjusted and replaced. The.springb4 isformed of a 'piece of round spring-wire not bent in any way to weaken it. Such spring is therefore of greater strength and durability than previous constructions. The resting of the spring b4 in a groove in the top of the pawl is of advantage, as the spring is therebyprevented from being knocked or crushed out of place by the work'or other means when the attachment is in operation.

The forward end of the lever b2 passes .through andhas sliding connection with an eye 57 of a link. The other eye 198 of said link is at right angles to the eye t7 and is secured on the needle set screw or clamp of the needle-bar, the connection being such that the link oscillates when the needle-bar reciprocates. This means of connecting the lever b2 with the reciprocating needle-bar is more durable and permits a greater movement to be given the said lever than in the former con- Vstructions, and hence thickery goods may be sewed. As the needle-bar reciprocates an oscillating movement is imparted to the lever b2, which, through the pawl b3, givesarotary motion to theratchet-wheel b.

In order to impart the desired vibratory movement of the cloth-clamp plate, a cam- Vwheel c 'is held rigidly on the shaft b in any -suitable manner, as byla set-screw c2. This wheelhas a peripheral zigzag ca .m-groovev c', which is engaged from below'by a roller c3 on a stud formed integralwith a lever c4. This lever isfulcrumed on a screw-bolt c5, extending through an opening in the frame portion a', and has its lower end reduced with respect to the body portion and screw-threaded to engage the lever c4. The screw-threaded portion of the bolt c5 is also engaged by a nut c6, which is screwed up tightly against the lever '04.'

The nut c6 not only serves toA IOO The nut c works through a transverse'slot c2 in the retaining-plate c, such slot being of sufiicient length to afford a clearance for the nut c6 under the vibratory movement of the plate c. On the lever c4 and having dovetailed engagement therewith is a cross-head slide CZ, which may be clamped to said lever in any desired position by a setscrew d', which works through a longitudinal slot e' in the retaining-plate e.

The cloth-clampf is rigidly secured to the forward end of a longitudinal slotted slideplate f, which plate is held in position between the bed-plate (t of the frame and the retaining-plate c by means of the screws CZ', c6, and p4. The slot f2 of the cloth-clamp plate f/ extends nearly the entire length of said plate and is engaged by the cross-head (Z, said slot being of suiicient width to allow clearance for the nut cG under the vibratory movement of the platef. In order to providea better wearing-surface, shoes d2 are inserted between the cross-head d and the inside walls of theslot f2. 'Ihese shoes conform on their inner sides to the head CZ, and the outer sides are grooved to engage the walls of the slot f2, so that when placed in position said shoes will be held between the crossl1ead (Z and the walls of the slot f2. These shoes (Z2 provide an excellent wearingsurface, and they may easily be replaced when worn out. It is obvious from the above that by the rotary motion of cam c lever o4 will be vibrated in a horizontal plane and will impart a similar motion to the cloth-clamp f. The extent of throw or amplitude of vibratory movement of the cloth-clamp may be made greater or less by increasing or decreasing the distance of the cross-head d from the fulcrum c5.

lVe will now describe the means for iinparting the desired longitudinal movement to the cloth-clamp slide necessary for the sewing of the side or binding stitches of a buttonhole. On the end of the shaft 7c in the frame portion a2 is mounted a friction-clutch device for imparting a progressive rotary movement to saidshaft. Thisclutchmechanismcomprises a lever ZL, provided with a central opening adapted to t over the shaft Zt, with some clearance between the two said parts, and a disk g4, having screw connections with the projecting end of the shaft k or otherwise securely attached to said shaft. The lever Zt is mounted on the shaft 7.: between the disk g4 and the frame of the attachment. In an annular groove gS on the inner side of the disk g4 is placed a clutch-ring, formed of halves gf', each of said halves having a portion of one end removed, so as to leave a rectangular opening formed by the ends of the halves of the ring and the walls of the groove. In the opening thus formed a stud Zt on the 1ever Zz tits snugly. The said lever has a portion of its periphery cut away, as shown at h2, one end of said opening being formed to provide a seat for a pin on a lever and the other end of said opening formed so as to engage one end of a spring h4, screwed to the frame portion a2. To operate the lever ZL, we provide a slide-bar which rests loosely upon a flange a4 of the frame of the attachment, said slide-bar having a pin 'Z' to engage the lever h, as above stated. The forward end of the slide-bar t' is provided with a pin 2, which engages the end of lever b2, so that on the upward movement of the needle-bar the slide-bar will rotate the lever h, giving the stud Zi/ a twisting motion between the ends of the halves gf of the clutch-ring and jamming said halves against, the outside wall of the annular groove g8 of the disk g4, thereby locking together the disk g", the ring formed of the halves g, and the lever ZL, thus giving a rotary movement to the shaft Zt. When the pin 2 is released from the lever h2 on the downward movement of the needlebar, the spring h4 rotates the lever Z1, in a direction opposite to that in which it was moved by the slide-bar 1l. This reverse movement releases the parts of the ring gffrom engagement with the wall of the groove g8 and permits the said parts 99 to slide freely in said groove. The slide-bar z' is also drawn back, so that the pin 2 will be in position to be engaged by the lever b2 on its next throw. In order to vary the throw of the slide-bar z', said lever is provided with an upwardly-projecting arm 3, which contacts with the stop 4, set into the frame of the attachment and held from rotation by a set-screw 5. This stop is made in the form of a screw having its head eccentric to the body portion, so that by adjusting the same by turning in its seat the slide-bar will be permitted to move a greater or less distance. A screw 5 bears against the body of the eccentric-.headed screw 5 and holds it in any desired position.

The intermittent rotary motion of the shaft 7c is imparted to the cloth-clamp plate by the following means: The rear end of the clothclamp plate is provided with a vertical arm Z, having a slot Z. To the frame projection a5 is pivoted a lever Z2, having a longitudinal slot Z3, in which slot is mounted a screw-ended stud Z4, having a collar Z5 and a jam-nut ZG engaging the screw-threaded end of said stud and serving to clamp the same to the lever Z4 in any desired position in the slot Z3, thereby enabling the extent of the longitudinal feed of the work-clamp plate to be varied according to the length of the buttonhole to be sewed. The stem of the stud Z4 is set into an openingin the block Z7, which block is grooved on its sides and is sprung into the slot Z', so that it presents a fiat bearing-surface to the Walls of said slot. The block Z7 lits loosely in the slot Z and provides a larger wearing and bearing surface and a more durable connection than when the stud Z4 engages directly with the walls of said slot. The lever Z2 is pivotally connected at ZS to a slotted doublerack pitman m, which is engaged by a segmental pinion m', keyed or otherwise secured IOO TIO

to the shaft k, said pinion engaging with the respective racks m2 and m3 of the pitman m at opposite points in its rotation. The said pinion and rack are held in position with respect to each other by a washer k and a thumb-screw 7a2, which engages with a screwthreaded seat in the end of the shaft 7s.

From the above description it is obvious that the cloth-clamp plate will be moved in opposite directions by the segmental pinion m' and the pitman m and that while the pinion m turns through the idle parts of said pitman no movement will be imparted to the cloth-clamp plate. This momentary suspension of the longitudinal feed of the clothclamp plate occurs at the end of thesewing of a set of side or binding stitches, and at such time the cloth-clamp plate is shifted to bring the cloth-clamp f and the work into proper position for sewing the opposite side of the buttonhole. This shifting of the clothclamp is effected by a cam-wheel o, xed to the shaft Il.: by a set-screw 7c3 or any other suitable means. This cam-wheel is provided with a peripheral groove having two straight sections and two cam-sections, the latter being opposite to each other and comparativelyshort and inclining at opposite angles to each other with respect to the axis of the cam-wheel and shaft,all as fully set forth in United States Patent No. 549,538. This cam-groove is engaged from below by a rollerp6 on a stud formed integral With a lever p', fulcrumed on a screw-bolt p2, extending through an opening in the frame portion a2. On the leverp and having dovetailed engagement therewith is a cross-head slide p3, which may be clamped to said lever in any desired position by a set-screw 204, which works through a longitudinal slot e? in the retaining-plate e. The cross-head 193 engages the cloth-clamp plate f throu gh shoes p5, these shoes being of the same construction and serving the same purposes as lthe shoes d2 on the cross-head d. During the longitudinal feed of the work-clamp plate the roller p6 will bev in engagement with one of the straight portions of the groove on the cam-wheel o, and consequently the cross-head p3 will be held stationary. Whenever the cloth-clamp plate reaches either of its limits and during the time that the segmental pinion is out of engagement with both racks of the pitman m, the roller p6 cornes into engagement with one of the cam-sections of the cam-wheel o, and the lever p and cross-head p3 will shift the cloth-clamp plate so aspto properly position the cloth-clamp for sewing a row of stitches on the opposite side of the buttonhole. The extent of the lateral or shifting movement of the cloth-clamp plate may be varied by adjusting the cross-head p3 along the lever During this shifting movement barringstitches will be formed at the end of the buttonhole as the vibratory movement of the cloth-clamp plate continues by the operation of the cam c, as heretofore explained.

The cloth-clam p f is composed of two pieces the-cloth-clamp may be adjusted laterally v with respect to the plate f. To prevent the cam-wheels c and o from being turned backward by their operating-levers, a tlat spring e8, fitting into slots cut into the body of the frame, bears frictionally against the side of said wheels and is held in such position bya set-screw tapped in a hole in the body of the frame.

The 'present attachment may be converted into a tacker by simply removing the crosshead p3 or shifting it so that its axis shall be coincident with t-he fnlcrum of the lever p'. Under such conditions the forward and backward movements of the cloth-clamp plate will be in the same line.

l/Vhat we claim as our invention, and desire having a grooved pawl thereon, a screw having engagement with said lever, a washer between the screw-head and lever, and a spring clamped at one end between said screw-head and washer, and its other end .resting in the groove of the pawl to hold it in engagement with said ratchet-wheel, substantially as described. 1

2. In a sewingmachine attachment, the combination with a cloth clamp plate, of means for imparting to said plate a vibratory movement, said means comprising a ratchetactuating lever, a link having two eyes,whose axes are at right angles to each other, the said link adapted to be secured to the needlebar of the machine through one of said eyes, the other eye serving as a support for the ratchet-actuating lever, said lever resting loosely in said eye and adapted to move lengthwise or slide therein when the needlebaris reciprocated, substantially as described.

3. In a sewing -machine attachment the combination with a slotted cloth-clamp plate, of means to impart to said plate a vibratory movement, comprising a cam, a lever engaging said cam, a cross-head on said lever, bearing-shoes conforming on their inner sides to said head and grooved on their outer sides to engage the walls of the slot of said plate, and means to impart to said plate a longitudinal movement comprising a shaft, a clutch device connected to said shaft, a slide-bar resting loosely on a ange of the attachment and adapted to intermittently engage said clutch device to rotate said shaft, a slotted arm connected to said plate, a slide-block secured in said slot, a slotted lever pivoted to the frame IOO IIO

of the attachment and actuated by said shaft, and a stud passing through an opening in said block and connecting said lever and arm, substantially as described.

4. In a sewing-machine attachment, the combination with a slotted cloth-clamp plate, of means to impart to said plate a vibratory movement comprising a shaft and means to rotate the same from the needle-bar of the machine, a cam secured to said shaft, a lever engaging said cam, means to impart to said plate a longitudinal movement comprising a shaft, a clutch device connected to said shaft, a slide-bar resting loosely on a flange of the attachment and adapted to intermittently engage said clutch device to rotate said shaft,

la cam on said shaft to shift the cloth-clamp ing to said plate a longitudinal feed movement, a clutch device for imparting an intermittent rotary movement to said shaft, a slide-bar for actuating said clutch device, said slide-bar resting loosely on a ange of the attachment and having an upwardly-extending arm, an adjustable stop for said slidebar consisting of a screw seated in the arm of the attachment and having an eccentrichead which contacts with said upwardly-extending arm, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof We have signed our names to this specification in the presence of subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM II. HARGRAVES. JOHN SIDNEY HEILIG. JACOB ROBERTS. Witnesses for Wm. I-I. I-Iargraves: CHRISTOPHER G. YOUNG, HARRY CUNNINGHAM. Witnesses for John S. Heilig:

IDA DOWNS, GEo. W. GRAEEIN. Vitnesses for Jacob Roberts:

GEO. E. I'IoLToN, O. O. FULLER. 

